gouldje

Getting a new 2018 ruby red special edition package, and my dealer found one but it has a build of 10/23/17. Granted one thing is nice it was prior to all the price increases, but the downside is it has been sitting awhile. What are some things i should look for, because of sitting so long?

tmcolegr

I would be concerned about the tires being permanently out of round from sitting for so long unless the vehicle was periodically exercised.

I would also request the calibration in ALL modules (including Sync 3) be brought up to the latest version. There have been several calibration updates that resolve certain performance issues. Most dealerships are more than willing to do this if you stipulate at time of sale, not afterwards.

Probity

A few things might come into play. Depends on the dealer, where located, etc.
1. If it's been truly "sitting" in 1 spot for ~10+ months, maybe flat spots on the tires. Hard to determine though. I bought my '16 ~8 months after build date (I got the build date from Etis, it lagged the order date on the window sticker by about 1 month). After the test drive, agreeing and paying, etc I started to think I might have some flat spots as on long highway drives at 70+ mph I seems to have more vibration (the cyclic kind you get when wheels out of balance) than normal. Not bad enough for me to back to the dealer (I bought it out-of-state) but it was noticeable to me. Decided to put some miles on it before getting into a "my truck is not right" debate with any Ford dealer. After about 1000 miles, my vibration problem seemed to diminish. Did I have flat spots? Maybe, I don't really know.
2. The battery. Never had an issue with my '16 even though battery was ~10 months old before driving it off the lot. Are batteries still generally 3 yr warrantied? Anyway, a non-issue with my F150. However, also in '16 I bought a cheap heavily discounted Ford Fiesta from same dealer that was 12 months from build date to my purchase. I made sure I was at the dealer when they finally located the car on the lot (the dealership usually has 800+/- new vehicles in inventory so easy for them to "lose" one of them) and stood by when they attempted to start it for my test drive. It cranked over very slowly, and they ultimately had to jump it. Told them I still wanted the car but only if new battery installed. They didn't blink, put a new one in while I did the paperwork. So if you can, witness the dealer starting the '18 you're interested in.
3. I see you are in upstate NY. If you were in DFW area or other really hot parts of the country, sitting in the sun all summer probably does wonders to all the inside plastics. Do the newer F150's still have "dash warp" problems like earlier '15-'16' had? Don't know but might want to check it.

KYSport

You should get an additional $500 off the sticker. I bought one 8/12/2018 that was built 11/12/2017. it was on the lot awhile. It had 170 miles on it. But it had all the options that we wanted. I do wonder why the 170 miles, but the salesmen did not know. He had only been there 2 weeks, and right out of high school.
So far so good but I've only put 150 more miles on it. I am going to put more on this weekend.

Deerchaser

My 18 XLT SE was built 9/17/17 Had 45 miles on it when I bought it in May of 18. All tsb performed. No flat spots on tires

OPsDad

A month and 4 days ago I came home with my 2018, built in NOV2017 as well. Had 7 miles when I took it for a test drive. It had some flat spots on the tires (thought it was balance) but they disappeared before I could bring it in for the balance they offered free - and no trace of it since. The problem I'm having is that the NAV is 1-15, and the current for an '18 is 1-16 or 1-17. The dealer is puzzled and non-responsive on updating it (new is new, regardless of build date and I should have the most recent nav maps). I'm going to go in there today and hold their feet to the fire, and if they don't agree to fix it, I'll go to another dealer and promise them my future business regardless of the extra miles to get there.

mikemtn

I had to have a new battery after a couple of weeks. It hadn't been setting I don't think, it had a few miles on it. The first symptom was the auto start/stop quit working. Then the Sync 3 started acting funny. When it finally quit for good I had to jump it a few times to get to the dealership. They tested the battery, installed a new one and I've been good for nearly 2 years.

PHolder

Mine was built in Aug '17 and I bought it in March. Tires were fine. Interior plastic needed some treatment.

Deerchaser

big_ole_truck

I have experience in buying new but aged vehicles. They are always the best bottom line pricing is the appeal for me.

My 2018 F150 XLT was built October 17 2017 but purchased early June 2018.

There were zero issues. Tires are perfectly round and perfectly balanced. The only issue was sync was on version 2.x. An update was easily performed by myself to version 3.

My prior truck was an early build that sat around on the dealer's lot for many months. Again, no issues. The truck prior to that was a new but aged 15 Chevy Silverado. Again, no issues with sitting for so long.

I'll do it again and again as long as it's the cheapest price I find.